Anna Karenina (Blu-ray)

Questo film l'ho visto per la prima volta su Amazon Video. Mi ha colpito subito lo stile "teatrale" con cui è stata raccontata la storia. E' chiaro che a qualche purista che ha letto prima il libro questa scelta del regista possa non piacere. Invece io credo che sia una scelta perfetta per condensare le 800 pagine circa del libro in un film che dura poco più di due ore.

Attenzione: possibili spoiler

Così facendo, infatti, il regista ha potuto creare una densità di significato (tramite rappresentazioni simboliche degli spazi e degli ambienti) che altrimenti avrebbero a mio avviso reso impossibile la trasposizione del libro in film. Ovviamente adesso mi leggerò il libro, appena posso, per fare un vero confronto tra le due versioni dell'opera, ma la ritmicità e la velocità del film hanno reso moderna e attuale una storia d'altri tempi, anche se credo che le opere di Tolstoj (che sto appena cominciando a conoscere) possano avere un valore universale atemporale come i grandi classici dell'antichità.
In particolare nel film ho notato come a volte gli spostamenti nello spazio di certi personaggi (ad esempio Konstantin quando viene inizialmente rifiutato da Kitty e torna in campagna) vengano condensati in pochi secondi secondo quello che per me è un colpo di genio. Immagino infatti che nel libro (verificherò, per ora si tratta infatti solamente di una mia supposizione) la descrizione di questi fatti e dello stato d''animo del personaggio richiedano pagine e pagine di scrittura (lui che viene rifiutato, vaga per la città contemplando la morte, e infine decide di tornare alla vita semplice di campagna) mentre nel film tutto questo viene condensato in pochi secondi (non li ho contati ma saranno una ventina o una trentina al massimo, credo).
Inoltre il regista Joe Wright ha una formazione di tipo teatrale (basta guardare la sua biografia per capirlo) quindi trovo perfettamente normale che abbia creato questa sua personale versione del romanzo di Tolstoj.
E' per l'appunto come avviene per le grandi opere del passato (intendo antica Grecia) o per le tragedie o commedie di Shakespeare: nonostante siano passati secoli o millenni vengono ancora riproposte in forma cinematografica o a teatro, e ovviamente, ogni volta, il regista (che sia di cinema o di teatro) ne fornisce una propria versione, anche perché attenersi pedissequamente all'originale o alle prime versioni dell'opera ogni volta che questa viene riproposta e reinterpretata renderebbe la cosa abbastanza inutile no?
Dopodiché, concludendo, dico che queste sono le mie personali impressioni e non pretendo di essere un critico cinematografico o letterario.
Dico solo che a me il film è piaciuto molto e mi ha incuriosito spingendomi ad approfondire le conoscenza dell'opera e della cultura russa in generale. Ho deciso infatti che leggerò sia Anna Karenina che Guerra e Pace e probabilmente comincerò anche a studiare il russo.
Se questo, immagino, poteva essere uno degli obiettivi del regista nel portare in scena una propria versione, chiaramente moderna, del romanzo di Tolstoj beh, che dire: obiettivo centrato.
Per quanto riguarda la spedizione e le caratteristiche fisiche del DVD nulla da dire. Tempi ok e dvd consegnato integro nella propria custodia di plastica.

2 persone l'hanno trovato utile

Giovanni Marco

bello

Recensito in Italia il 3 novembre 2023

molto bello

Recensito in Italia il 13 novembre 2023

Mi è piaciuto molto da vedere

Molto Glam, poca Letteratura

Ninetta

Recensito in Italia il 1 agosto 2023

Guardate questo film senza leggere il romanzo altrimenti ne resterete delusi. La bellezza c’è tutta ed anche un’interessante gioco di ambientazioni al servizio dei punti di vista e delle dinamiche. Ma vengono tralasciati molti aspetti e la narrazione è superficiale. Leggero ma non fondamentale

Recensito in Italia il 17 febbraio 2023

Eterno ed universale, come è l’amore.
Interpretazione straordinaria di Keira.
Leggete il libro di Tolstoj, piano senza fretta. Capolavoro assoluto. Fatelo entrare nell’anima. E poi rileggetelo, rileggetelo, rileggetelo in lingua russa, se potete.

Una persona l'ha trovato utile

marcio62

Fa girare la testa

Recensito in Italia il 30 luglio 2023

Realizzato con scelte sceniche originali ma personalmente non gradisco. Costumi e attori sono top. Il regista delude.

Fantastico anche se triste

Cliente Amazon

Recensito in Italia il 3 febbraio 2023

Il film mi è piaciuto molto. Solo una cosa non ho gradito in quanto strutturato a mo di teatro.

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Le recensioni migliori da altri paesi

ValBeck

Effervescent, baroque, splendide!

Recensito in Francia il 28 aprile 2017

C'est quand même incroyable d'être happée non par l'histoire - de vous à moi je déteste le roman Anna Karénine! - mais pas la façon dont elle est filmée! Joe Wright est virtuose, en emboitant des plans qui s'ouvrent sur d'autres plans, et ce, dans tous les sens, mais sans confusion, sans débordement; tout commence au théâtre - un vieux théâtre délabré - a chaque fois qu'il est question de la vie des Karénine et de la société qu'ils côtoeint, on est au théâtre mais dès que la " vraie" vie loin des commérages citadins commence, l'espace s'ouvre sur la campagne, la nature, la forêt... c'est une idée absolument superbe; comme ce dernier plan où l'on voit Karénine et les deux enfants d'Anna jouer dans un grand pré vert, loin de ce qui a causé la mort de leur mère.
Ce parti pris du théâtre dans le théâtre peut agacer, déplaire, lasser, mais c'est précisément ce qui m'a fasciné à un point tel que j'ai regardé le blu-ray, de très belle qualité- trois soirs de suite; les acteurs sont parfaits et ne sombrent pas dans caricature; Jude Law incarne un mari poignant, et Keira Kngihtley parvient à nous émouvoir lorsque ses obsessions commencent à lui faire perdre la tête.
Les couleurs ont une chaleur qui contredit le côté " glacé" des décors ou des costumes. On est vraiment comme au théâtre baroque, avec une machinerie qui ne cache pas l'envers du décors, car c'est précisément le sujet du film : comment une femme chute parce que la société à les yeux sur chacun et décide de qui doit tomber.
Un film que chaque relecture approfondit et qui entre tout droit dans le coeur pour ne plus le quitter.

8 persone l'hanno trovato utile

IngaKS

Mesmerizing and blod version!

Recensito nel Regno Unito il 18 febbraio 2013

My review:

When I entered the movie theatre, I knew a lot about Tolstoy's book, but nothing about this specific movie release. I knew who were starring the movie and that was it. Usually, when going to see movies, I always check out trailers and features and interviews before actually seeing them on the big screen, but this time the title of the movie was plainly enough. I have been a big fan of classical Russian literature from very young age, so I thought I knew what to expect. I was wrong in many levels.

When the opening scenes were over, I knew that this movie was very different from any other movie version of Anna Karenina. Well, it was different from any movie based on classical literary fiction! It was mesmerizing and I was hooked from the first minutes and I did not want to leave the dark room of the theatre even when the credentials were running and most of the people were leaving the room. I wanted to stay in the world that the movie makers had created!

Screenplay:

Let me start with saying, that screenwriter Tom Stoppard kept the story very close to its original and I was very happy about it! It seemed that there was a clear understanding between the late Lev Tolstoy and the screenwriter Tom Stoppard. There were only very few places in the story when I realized, that it is slightly different from the original and even that was falling nicely to its place in the movie.

The story was dramatic, heart-wrenching and beautifully executed! It's an epic forbidden love story which takes place in the Russian aristocracy. Anna Karenina is unhappily married, but she has no greater expectations to love, at least until she meets Count Vronsky. The moment they meet, there is attraction and as much as they try to deny it, it is inevitable. It's forbidden love in the society, because Anna decides to leave her husband and asks for divorce. As the isolation from friends, family and everybody else for Anna grows, the more consumed she is by darkness. Karenin does not give her divorce and it does not matter how big the love is between Vronsky and Anna, it gets dramatic consequences.

Directing, sets, visuals, choreography, design and music:

What made this movie exceptionally unique was the fact, that director Joe Wright staged it on a theatre. Watching the movie was like watching a theatre stage where the scenes were elegantly changed as the story folded out in front of the audience. Scene after scene the settings were changed even though the room was the same. It was original and I loved it. I also realized the the only sets which were used outside of theatre were about Levin and his life on the countryside. This change was nicely balanced where you had the hectic life of Sct. Petersburg and Moscow in one side and the picturesque and slow scenes from Russian nature.

There was a lot of attention on choreography and physical contact in Anna Karenina. It was a movie where choreography was a main storyteller. It was often where choreography was substituting words and you can say that in Anna Karenina a picture told more than 1000 words. The ballroom dancing and even a simple touch was sometimes telling more than words. It was tense and filled with passion. Another thing which was special in Anna Karenina, were the close-ups. The facial impressions were as important as the huge scenes with many people.

One of the interesting visuals were the usage of lightning and colors. For example there was a clear contrasts when Anna was together with Vronsky compared to when she was with Karenin. The scenes where Anna and Vronsky spend time together are brighter and softer, and the scenes at home with Karenin, the lightning is murkier and darker. It gave some nice effects to the plot and to the mood.

I would also like to mention the design of the costumes and the music in the movie. The costumes were breathtakingly beautiful, especially the ones designed for Anna and Kitty and the music was coherent with the development of the story: the intensity of which grew in the rhythm with the drama surrounding it.

Casting and ensemble:

I liked the characters picked for the roles. Keira Knightly as Anna Karenina was a good choice. She was capable of mirroring Anna Karenina's essence showing both love, passion, courage, pain and last but not least jealousy. When Anna is consumed by isolation and jealousy and realization that the society will never forgive her, Keira Knightly gave her best to show these different reflections of woman in love and pain. I liked that a lot!

Jude Law as Karenin was faceted. I liked that he did not show Karenin as a simple man. He loved Anna on his own way and I liked that Jude Law showed his soft side combined with the religious and hurtful side. I really enjoyed the way he played Karenin.

I was surprised by Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Vronsky. I have seen him in Nowhere Boy and realized that fact actually after the movie. He has matured as actor and he as Vronsky was a very good choice. He showed passion, tenderness, love and passion of a man in love.

Another surprise was Alicia Vikander as Kitty. This Swedish actress was perfect to the role. I was amazed by her grace when she played in A Royal Affair where I was stunned by her presence in acting. I loved her as Kitty, she had spark and sassyness and humbleness when she met Levin after denying him as a husband.

I also enjoyed performances of Domhnall Gleeson as Levin and Matthew Macfadyen as Oblonski.

Dislikes:

The only minor thing that I was disturbed by and it was how the Russian names were pronounced. It sounded awkward to my ears, but this is probably because I grew up in the environment where Russian was used as a second language. I have the similar experiences with many other English spoken movies and I do understand that Russian words and names are difficult to pronounce, but in a classical drama based on Russian literature I think this could have been improved.

Generally:

I think Anna Karenina was brilliantly made bold version of Tolstoy's novel. I loved the experience and I know that I will watch it again! I highly recommend it!

7 persone l'hanno trovato utile

David

Re: A different take on the tale

Recensito negli Stati Uniti il 21 febbraio 2024

This is a wonderful version of the famous novel with excellent acting, sets and costumes, but the unusual aspect is how the separate and shifting sections are setup as if on a stage or as a theater production. This version is well worth the time for anyone interested in this well-known tale. The shipment was well-packaged and arrive by the estimated delivery date from the vendor.

PETIT Patrick

Sublime Keira Knightley

Recensito in Francia il 5 giugno 2023

Reprendre un rôle déjà interprété par Greta Garbo, Vivian Leigh et accessoirement Sophie Marceau, c'est une gageure que Keira Knightley remplit largement, armée pour cela de tout le talent et la grâce qu'on, lui connait.
Hélas on ne peut porter sur ses seules épaules, fut 'elles aussi charmantes que celles de Keira, un film, hors force est de constater que le reste de la distribution ne suit pas. Entre la réalisation statique de Joe Wright et le jeu plus que limité des acteurs on ne peut que regretter la version qui à mes yeux reste la référence, celle de 1935 réalisée par Clarence Brown
Aux coté de Greta Garbo, nous avions Fredric March, Basil Rathbone et la délicieuse Maureen O'Sullivan.
Film qui reste à voir ne serait-ce que pour la lumineuse Keira.

Joyous

Good performances

Recensito nel Regno Unito il 28 maggio 2023

Jude Law and Kiera Knightly give a very good performances and the costumes are great. Overall an enjoyable film but not the best production